1 And when David & his men were come to Siceleg the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side into Siceleg, & had strucken Siceleg, & burnt it with fire.
1 Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, ¹the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire,
2 And had led away women captive out of it, from the less unto the great: and had not killed any man, but had led them with them, & went on their journey.
2 And had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: and they had not killed any person, but had carried them with them, and went on their way.
3 When David therefore and his men were come to the city, and had found it burnt with fire, and their wives and their sons, and their daughters to be led away captive,
3 So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives,
4 David and the people that was with him, lifted up their voices, and mourned till tears failed them.
4 David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.
5 For the two wives also of David were led away captive, Achinoam the Iezraelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
5 For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6 And David was strucken very sad: for the people would have stoned him, because the soul of every man was bitterly affected upon their sons, and daughters: but David was strengthened in our Lord his God.
6 And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved for his sons and daughters: but David took courage in the Lord his God.
7 And he said to Abiathar the Priest the son of Achimelech: Apply unto me the Ephod. And Abiathar applied the Ephod to David,
7 And he said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8 and David consulted our Lord, saying: Shall I pursue these thieves, and shall I take them or not? And our Lord said to him: Pursue them: for thou shalt take them without doubt, & take from them the prey.
8 And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue after these robbers, and shall I overtake them, or not? And the Lord said to him: Pursue after them: for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover the prey.
9 David therefore went himself, and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came unto the Torrent Besor: & some being weary stayed.
9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor: and some being weary stayed there.
10 But David himself, and four hundred men pursued: for two hundred stayed, who being weary could not pass the Torrent Besor.
10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred stayed, who being weary could not go over the torrent Besor.
11 And they found an Ægyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,
11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,
12 and also a piece of a mass of dry figs, and two bunches of resins. Who when he had eaten, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunken water three days and three nights.
12 As also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten them, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water, three days and three nights.
13 David therefore said to him. Whose art thou? Or whence? And wither goest thou? Who said: I am a young man of Ægypt, the servant of an Amalecite: and my master hath left me, because I began to be sick three days agone.
13 And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong; or whence dost thou come? And whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalecite: and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.
14 For we brake forth at the south side of Cerethi, and against Juda, and at the south of Caleb, and burnt Siceleg with fire.
14 For we made an invasion on the south side of Cerethi, and upon Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.
15 And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? Who said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my lord, and I will bring thee to this company, And David sware to him.
15 And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. And David swore to him.
16 Who when he had brought them, behold they sat upon the face of all the earth, eating & drinking, and as it were keeping a festival day, for all the prey and spoils which they had taken out of the Land of the Philisthiims, and out of the Land of Juda.
16 And when he had brought him, behold they were lying spread abroad upon all the ground, eating and drinking, and as it were keeping a festival day, for all the prey and the spoils which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.
17 And David struck them from evening until the evening of the next day, and there escaped not any of them, but four hundred young men, which had gotten upon camels, and were fled.
17 And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, but four hundred young men, who had gotten upon camels, and fled.
18 David therefore rescued all things that the Amalecites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
18 So David recovered all that the Amalecites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
19 Neither was there any wanting from little to great, as well of their sons as of their daughters, and of the spoils, and what things soever they had taken, David brought all again.
19 And there was nothing missing small or great, neither of their sons or their daughters, nor of the spoils, and whatsoever they had taken, David recovered all.
20 And he took all the flocks and herds, and drave them before his face: and they said: This is the prey of David.
20 And he took all the flocks and the herds, and made them go before him: and they said: This is the prey of David.
21 And David came to the two hundred men, which being weary had stayed, neither were able to follow David, and he had bidden them to rest in the Torrent Besor: who came forth to meet David, and the people that were with him. And David coming to the people, saluted them peaceably.
21 And David came to the two hundred men, who being weary had stayed, and were not able to follow David, and he had ordered them to abide at the torrent Besor: and they came out to meet David, and the people that were with him. And David coming to the people, saluted them peaceably.
22 And every naughty, and wicked fellow of the men, that had gone with David, answering, said: Because they came not with us, we will not give them any thing of the prey, which we have recovered: but let their wife and children suffice every man, whom when they had received, let them depart.
22 Then all the wicked and unjust men that had gone with David answering, said: Because they came not with us, we will not give them anything of the prey which we have recovered: but let every man take his wife, and his children, and be contented with them, and go his way.
23 But David said: You shall not do so my brethren, of these things, which our Lord hath delivered to us, and hath kept us, and hath given the thieves, that were broken out against us, into our hands:
23 But David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, who hath kept us, and hath delivered the robbers that invaded us into our hands:
24 neither shall any man hear you upon this talk. For there shall be equal portion of him that went down into battle, and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike.
24 And no man shall hearken to you in this matter. But equal shall be the portion of him that went down to battle, and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike.
25 And this hath been done from that day, and ever after it was decreed, and ordained as a law in Israel.
25 And this hath been done from that day forward, and since was made a statute and an ordinance, and as a law in Israel.
26 David therefore came into Siceleg, and sent gifts of the prey to the ancients of Juda his neighbours, saying: Take a benediction of the prey of our Lord's enemies.
26 Then David came to Siceleg, and sent presents of the prey to the ancients of Juda, his neighbors, saying: Receive a blessing of the prey of the enemies of the Lord.
27 To them that were in Bethel, and that were in Ramoth toward the South, and them that were in Gether,
27 To them that were in Bethel, and that were in Ramoth to the south, and to them that were in Jether.
28 and them in Aroer, and them in Sephamoth, and them in Esthamo,
28 And to them that were in Aroer, and that were in Sephamoth, and that were in Esthamo,
29 and them in Rachal, and them in the cities of Jerameel, and them in the cities of Semi,
29 And that were in Rachal, and that were in the cities of Jerameel, and that were in the cities of Ceni,
30 and them in Harama, and them in the lake of Asan, and them in Athach,
30 And that were in Arama, and that were in the lake Asan, and that were in Athach,
31 and them in Hebron, and to the rest that were in those places, in the which David had tarried, and his men.
31 And that were in Hebron, and to the rest that were in those places, in which David had abode with his men.